Better with age?

Do we get better with age? Or do we just start to figure out what it is about ourselves we really like?

Jim and I were at a work function the other night, and one of his colleagues asked me my age (another woman, who was older, so it's ok). To her, I'm still so young at 37, and she's right if you think about it. We got into a conversation about age, and I realized that, in my late 30s, I'm finally starting to figure out who I really am.

So, am I getting better with age? Does anybody? Or is it just the self-assurance of knowing who we are and what we like about ourselves that makes us better?

I am getting better at holding my temper (not perfect, in case you find yourself rolling your eyes), and at being frank with myself about those things I don't like about me. And I'm getting better about being frank with myself about those things I do like about me. The truth seems to come through clearer vision as I get older, even though my physical vision is starting to feel the effects of age. It's not so much hindsight, as inner sight that gets us to this place.

I am enjoying this stage - as I have each other stage thus far. I can't say I'm enjoying the wrinkles that come with it, but I can say that looking at these wrinkles I can see the parts of my life I need to work on. You see, I want happy wrinkles when I get older, not so much the angry ones. I have a line in between my eyebrows that comes from deep concentration and from frowning in displeasure and anger too much. I can live with a line there, just not a groove, so I need to work on the smiling wrinkles and on minimizing the angry one. And apparently, I have to work on sleeping on my back to minimize my "sleep wrinkle", which comes from too much pillow and a sound sleep.

So maybe we do get better with age, but it's mostly out of self-awareness and self-assurance. There's nothing like a person who's comfortable on her skin. So, my friend, if you haven't gotten there yet, either wait a few more years, or start paying attention.